Accused shooter found dead in wife's home

SAYRE (AP) - A man being sought by police in the shotgun killing of his neighbor and the wounding of two others has died, apparently of a self-inflected gunshot wound, police said Tuesday.

Arthur Puckett Jr., 45, was found shot in the home of his estranged wife in Sayre - just miles from the Delhi-area home where he is accused of killing Charles Page, 23. He was also accused of wounding Page's wife, Jamie Page, 23, and her mother, Norma Carkin, 43. The two women remain hospitalized in fair condition.

Puckett had also been questioned about the shooting death of Carkin's husband, Don Carkin Sr., 55, who was found shot in his pickup in May.

At about 1 a.m. Tuesday, police in Sayre noticed movement at the home of Puckett's estranged wife. She told authorities she had asked for a divorce just a day before the shooting rampage.

Police had been told that no one was supposed to be in Puckett's wife's house, said Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation spokeswoman Kym Koch.

"They (police) walked up to the door, announced themselves, and heard a muffled gunshot. They went in and found Puckett in the bathroom with a single gunshot wound to the head," Koch said. A handgun was found next to him.

A nationwide alert was put out for Puckett in the days following the shooting Dec. 4 after authorities determined that he likely stole a neighbor's truck.

Puckett had been charged with first-degree murder and two counts of shooting with intent to kill.

He was flown to University Hospital in Oklahoma City and pronounced dead Tuesday morning, Koch said.

Koch said Puckett's wife was staying with relatives and that police had stepped up patrols of her home, aware that Puckett could possibly return there.

In July, Puckett was charged with a felony of pointing a firearm at people. Witnesses saw him waving and pointing a gun at people as he frantically searched for his wife.